The BigChilli March 2022

PUBLISHER Colin Hastings editorbigchilli@gmail.com EDITOR Nina Hastings ninabigchilli@gmail.com

Time to give Pattaya another try?

Since the 1980s, Pattaya has labored under a largely self-inflicted reputation as a venue for sex tourism. Such infamy couldn’t be allowed to last and authorities in the beach resort have reacted by launching a series of changes to try and give the resort a more family-friendly image. It’s an enormous task given that Pattaya, with its ‘anything goes’ attitude, has grown uncontrollably during the past four decades. However, signs of physical improvement are everywhere, including beach widening and welcome landscaping on both the main Pattaya Bay and nearby Jomtien Beach. The lesser known Dongtan Beach has already undergone a major upgrade and is now unquestionably the most attractive of the three beaches.

Many of the once ubiquitous seafront beer bars have been killed off by rapidly rising land values and escalating rents, to be replaced, no doubt, by more hotels and fancy restaurants, while the jury’s out on whether Walking Street will make a comeback after its two-year pandemic shutdown. It seems that the authorities are determined to ‘clean up’ the most visible areas of Pattaya, leaving its entrenched bar culture to hide and thrive away from the beaches. Down the line, there are plans to build a mono-rail to ease the resort’s notorious traffic jams.

Will Pattaya succeed in ridding itself of that 40-year reputation for sleaze and compete with Hua Hin for family business? It’s not going to be easy, especially as so many aspects of its character are deeply embedded. But the resort is definitely changing for the better and its detractors, most of whom haven’t visited Pattaya in years, should give it another chance.

SALES & MARKETING MANAGER Rojjana Rungrattwatchai sendtorose@gmail.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Thana Pongsaskulchoti thanabigchilli@gmail.com ACCOUNTING MANAGER Sumon T. sumonbigchilli@gmail.com ART & PRODUCTION Arthawit Pundrikapa PHOTOGRAPHY AP CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Robin Westley Martin Drew McCreadie, Maxmilian Wechsler Zoe Evans, Jessica Weber Ruth Gerson, Agneta de Bekassy

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EXPATS Who Make A Difference

Edwin Wiek: Saving Tigers

Credit: www.abc.net.au

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acing constant setbacks, threats, intimidation, legal battles and several arrests over the years, Edwin Wiek, founder of the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT), has never faltered in his courageous 20-year crusade to save wild animals from the abuse and machinations of his fellow human beings.

His latest and arguably bravest challenge involves the rescue of eleven tigers and two bears from Phuket Zoo, which has closed its doors due to financial reasons and requested WFFT’s help in re-homing the emaciated animals.

Thanks to sponsors and a team of volunteers, this tireless Dutchman has already safely transported one of the tigers to WFFT’s base near Hua Hin, where an extensive compound has been erected for the new arrival. It is expected that the other ten tigers and bears will follow in the next few weeks.

Since its founding in 2001, WFFT has been a major component in the campaign against all forms of animal exploitation and illegal wildlife trade, often incurring the wrath of its perpetrators. It also strives to educate and encourage the local and international communities to understand, protect wildlife and their natural habitats.

Edwin, a former fashion industry executive, is an advisor to the Thai government on animal law reform. Through his work and dedication, he has unquestionably made a difference in Thailand.

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News

Death of a young Irishman on Bangkok’s deadly roads Niall Doran hit by a speeding taxi just days before the tragic death of a young Thai doctor

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he entire nation was shocked and appalled when news broke that a beautiful young doctor had been killed in broad daylight by a speeding motorcyclist driven by an off-duty police officer while walking on a zebra crossing in Bangkok.

The tragic death of ophthalmologist Ratchanee Supawatjariyakul has predictably fueled demands for stricter safety measures on Thailand’s roads – consistently ranked among the world’s most dangerous.

Understandably, the passing of Dr Ratchanee dominated the headlines in Thailand for many days. She was popular, successful and from a prominent Thai family.

For sure, dozens of people are killed every day on the kingdom’s roads. Most of their deaths go largely unnoticed.

Those overlooked victims include a young Irishman, Niall Doran, who was fatally mowed down by a speeding taxi on Sukhumvit Road on January 16, 2022, a few days before Dr Ratchanee’s sad demise.

Niall, a gentle soul with a rich Irish brogue who hailed from a small town near Dublin, had been in Bangkok for four years, working as the export manager for Covco, a leading supplier of medical and industrial gloves.

On the night of his death, Niall had been out with friends to enjoy the first day without having to use 6

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crutches for a now mended ankle he had broken in a freak accident two months earlier. He had also just discarded leg plaster and cumbersome foot protector, Heading home, he was also using a zebra crossing when his life was cut short. And like Dr Ratchanee, he was just inches from the safety of the central reservation when the accident happened, shortly before midnight.

Niall’s final moments were witnessed by a young

student from Switzerland seated in the back of the speeding taxi. She had been looking out of the side window trying to spot the condo where she was staying when Niall was suddenly catapulted onto the vehicle’s hood and smashed against the windscreen.

By coincidence, it was the same condominium where Niall was living, so the young Swiss woman was able to immediately identify the stricken Irishman.

With help from a security guard who rushed to the scene, an ambulance was called and Niall was given emergency CPR on the spot. He was taken to Chulalongkorn Hospital, even though Samitivej, Camillian and Sukhumvit hositals were all probably just as close, and was declared dead shortly after arrival.

The driver was arrested by police who said later the taxi was travelling at approximately 100 km/h when it hit Niall. He driver told the police that he was looking for a U-turn on Sukhumvit when the accident occurred.

Friends speculate that Niall, without crutches and heavy boot, may have overestimated how quickly he could reach the safety of the central reservation.

It is also been suggested that this area of Sukhumvit is not particularly well lit at night and also has fairly thick bushes growing on the road divider, all of which may have impaired the taxi’s vision.

Nonetheless, the driver faces prosecution for his part in the accident. However, because he is described as his family’s “only breadwinner”, the sentencing is expected to be light.

Niall’s family was informed of his death and his brother has been in Thailand to settle his personal affairs.

A quiet, low-profile expat, Niall’s death will go down as just another victim of this country’s extraordinarily dangerous road. While not receiving the deluge of news that accompanied Dr Ratchanee’s accident, he will be mourned by a small circle of close friends.

Hopefully, their deaths won’t be in vain and new road safety measures are implemented. – C.H.

Veteran German motorcyclist killed in Rayong road accident

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ormer Bangkok resident Dennis Kristoff was killed in Rayong recently when the motorbike he was driving was involved in a collision with a truck. His wife Tael, who was also on the bike, sustained serious injuries but is said to be recovering in hospital.

Dennis, a German national who worked for Hoechst in Thailand in the 1970s, was living in the US before the accident but planned to spend more time in his house in Rayong. He was 79.

In his 20s, Dennis represented Germany at judo in several competitions. He was a keen motorcyclist who had toured extensively on two wheels in the US, Europe and Thailand. He was a long-time member of the Royal Bangkok Sports Club The couple has a son and daughter living in the US. TheBigChilli

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News

Gridiron beauty Jayne targets ‘midsized’ women with her new health and fitness app Former American football star Salinee Jayne Caldwell uses her professional and personal experience to help a “neglected group” get into shape physically and mentally with YA BISH

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fter a stellar career in the bone-crunching sport of women’s football in the United States, Thai-Australian beauty Salinee Jayne Caldwell is using her retirement from Gridiron to launch a fitness guide aimed at midsized women.

Now living in Bangkok, Jayne has teamed up with fellow pro-footballer Quincy Hewitt from New Zealand to launch an app called YA BISH that offers all kinds of health and fitness tips for women who are “lean on top and thicker below” – specifically those sized between 10 and 14, and aged 18 to 45, explains Jayne, who set pulses racing when she appeared on front cover of The BigChilli back in December 2018.

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Jayne and Quincy see the move into the online fitness industry as a logical step after their professional sporting life. “We worked with a certified personal trainer to pull out the favorite workouts from our playing days to suit our target market. The challenge was to create something that is not only different but better than anything currently available,” says Jayne. “So we hit a demographic that has been completely neglected – midsized women. As professional athletes, it legitimizes the project.”

The app’s eight-week program features a daily routine of exercises for home or gym, together with feel-good advice and nutritional tips, including a ‘Slim Thick Workout’ and ‘Low carb and Fat Burning Days,’ all tailor-made for the larger lady.

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When it comes to size Jayne has plenty of personal experience. Her Australian father Shane is a stout sixfoot former rugby league player who was clearly far more responsible for laying the foundations of Jayne’s perfectly proportioned size ten physique, 1.73cm height and 70kgs, than her diminutive Thai mother.

In her early years at school and college in Australia Jayne was an outstanding athlete, particularly running, volleyball and six-a-side rugby – all attributes that would later enable her to play American football at the highest level. However, during visits to Thailand to see her family, she often felt “fat” compared to local girls of her age, especially during her teen years. oday, aged 28, she is entirely comfortable with her natural shape and size, but recognizes the peer pressures that many midsized women face and wants to change this “unhealthy” mindset through an important feature on YA BISH called the ‘Self Love Bible.’

Jayne and Quincy first met in 2013 playing football in Australia and then teamed up again in 2016 in Los Angeles and Chicago. In 2018, their team ‘Chicago Bliss’ won the championship with Jayne breaking the record for the longest rushing touchdown – 49 yards.

Planning the YA BISH – the name is inspired by a well-known American rapper - began early last year with the pair discussing the project via zoom with the app’s London-based designer Paul Morgan, who is now a business partner.

The app costs A$19.99 per month and orders are already coming in, says Jayne. Add-on products include sportswear, herbal detox tea, home equipment and fitness club memberships.

“And when someone buys an app membership, we give a free membership to an employee or beneficiary of a charity that supports women in need,” says Jayne.

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Book Review

The amazing truth behind Britain’s first embassy in Bangkok – and who really owned the recently sold compound on Ploenchit

Simon Landy 2020

Inspired by the much-debated sale of the British Embassy compound in Bangkok in 2018, former property executive Simon Landy set about researching the history of foreign land ownership in Thailand dating back to the reign of King Mongkut in the 19th century. His work has resulted in a fascinating book ‘The King and the Consul,’ which the author has subtitled ‘A British tragedy in old Siam’ to highlight the untimely death of the first British senior diplomat in the country while negotiating a suitable site for Britain’s consulate using a nominee structure familiar to today’s foreign buyers to get round ownership laws.

What inspired you to write The King and the Consul?

The idea came from the sale of the British Embassy Bangkok compound on the corner of Ploenchit and Wireless Roads. There were rumours that the land had been granted to the British government by the Thai authorities, and so shouldn’t (or couldn’t!) be sold for profit. That rumour, I discovered, wasn’t true. But in looking into it, I came across the amazing story of how the British were granted their first compound on the river in 1856. And that’s the core story in my book.

Is this your first book?

It’s the first book, yes, although I’ve been writing articles 12

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and papers for decades. Before the book came out, I had two papers published on related topics – one in the Journal of the Siam Society, the other in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong.

Please tell us about your background and life in Thailand.

In a nutshell, I first moved to Thailand in 1981 to teach at Chulalongkorn University. The job was great, the pay not so much. When I got married and became a father I moved into the business world, eventually focusing on the property consulting business. My last job was as executive chairman of Colliers International Thailand and I retired from that in 2017.

Please explain how Thailand’s current view of foreign land ownership was largely shaped by a treaty with Britain dating back almost 150 years ago, and the involvement of several key characters featured in your book.

The Bowring treaty of 1855 was mainly about giving Brits trading rights in Siam, as Thailand was called then. King Mongkut and his senior officials were also worried that British traders would flood in and buy up prime land, so the treaty restricted them to renting near the city centre. Just a year after the treaty, one British trader, a Captain Puddicombe, tried to ‘game’ the rules by using a nominee structure. The lease agreement was signed off at the British consulate under the first consul, Charles Hillier.

Hillier had only opened the consulate a couple of months before this happened.

When the Siamese authorities found out about it, they were furious, which led to the tragedy of the book’s subtitle. The market today is much more sophisticated, but we still find some foreigners trying to use nominee structures to circumvent the ownership laws, which are among the most illiberal in the region.

What was King Mongkut’s role in ‘modernising’ Siam and was the country regarded by competing British and French colonial interests as a convenient buffer to keep them apart?

Of course, what looks restrictive today may have seemed

the opposite 150 years ago. King Mongkut was actually a great reformer. As soon as he became king, he started to open up the country to foreign trade. Unlike a lot of his advisors and neighbours he understood that the British interest in the region was essentially to develop trade, not to seize territory. That realisation enabled him and his son, King Chulalongkorn, to maintain the country’s TheBigChilli 13

Book Review independence while all the neighbours (Burma, Malaya, Cambodia, Vietnam) became colonies.

Because of this, I think that the popular idea that the British and French maintained Siam as a convenient buffer between their empires is only true in part.

Who or what were your major sources of background / historical information?

I relied mainly on primary sources. There’s a huge amount of partially explored material in the UK and Thai archives: dispatches from and to the British consulate in Bangkok to Bowing in Hong Kong and the Foreign Secretary in London; internal correspondence in the China and London Office archives; proclamations and correspondence of King Mongkut and various of his officials in Siam etc.

I also dipped into the French and US archives on the period.

Apart from a handful of excellent books, the most interesting secondary sources I found were some unpublished doctoral theses. Then of course, I was lucky enough to meet and discuss the topic with a few really brilliant people – historians and others – in Thailand and elsewhere.

Do you think Thailand’s laws regarding foreign ownership of land are fair and reasonable, or overly restrictive? Should they be changed, especially in view of the current desire for greater inward investment to help offset the country’s Covid-affected economy?

I do think the laws are overly restrictive, although I also understand the government’s difficulties in changing the status quo. As we’ve again seen recently, ministers often announce plans to liberalise the law – usually either allowing a higher foreign ownership percentage in condominiums, increasing the maximum lease length or permitting foreign ownership in specific sectors – but these plans almost always get rejected by the bureaucracy or others before they can become laws.

I’m not sure if liberalising land ownership would help generate that much more inward investment, but it should help make the market less opaque and inequitable, particularly for commercial property. The residential property market is already very competitive, but the commercial property market is dominated by a handful of local entrepreneurs. More liberal laws would enable foreign investors to compete in the commercial market which would lead to more transparency and a fairer market overall.

King Mongkut understood that the British interest in the region was essentially to develop trade, not to seize territory. That realisation enabled him and his son, King Chulalongkorn, to maintain the country's independence while all the neighboring countries became colonies

Did you have Thai researchers to help you?

I had some help from a Thai history student in the Thai archives when I came across language that was unfamiliar to me, but overall I found the language and writing of the period more modern than I’d expected.

How long did it take you to complete the book?

I’d say from start to finish about 20 months. That doesn’t include a long delay for Covid. I’d almost finished the book when Covid hit, but had to put the final touches and publishing on hold until I could get back into the libraries to recheck references.

Will the book be translated into Thai?

There’s no immediate plans for a Thai version, although I’ve had a number of people ask. It’s not something I could do on my own, so I’m not sure who would be willing and able to take on a challenge like that!

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For many British residents of Thailand, the sale and subsequent demolition of the British Embassy last year was another ‘tragedy’. Could it or should it have been avoided, and what did this episode say about Britain’s place in SE Asia?

The Bangkok embassy land was one of the most (if not the most) expensive asset on the FCO’s balance sheet.

It stood out like a sore thumb, which made it difficult to defend in economic terms. If a sale couldn’t be avoided, they could have tried to preserve the historic assets – the 95-year-old residence, the war memorial and Queen Victoria’s statue. I argued that there was a way to keep those assets and still get a high price (almost the same price) for the rest of the land. But the FCO wasn’t interested. They wanted to make the sale as simple as possible – i.e. with no encumbrances. I think it was a

poor decision and very damaging to Britain’s soft power in SE Asia.

Who actually owned the land occupied by the British Embassy on Ploenchit?

It was owned by the British government. They bought it from the Nai Lert family in the 1920s.

What has been the reaction to the book so far?

So far, so good, I’m pleased to say. Khunying Narisa of River Books, the publisher, tells me that sales have been good and comments and reviews that I’ve seen have all been positive. Of course, if people hate the book they may not be telling me that!

Are you planning any other books?

Lots of plans, but nothing firm yet. Watch this space!

Is Thailand willing to see greater revision of its history?

There are actually some really excellent Thai historians who are looking at Thai history from new perspectives and producing interesting books. The issue is really about what is taught in schools. If the curriculum is stuck in the past and continues to rely on a one-sided interpretation of history, it is difficult to see how Thailand can develop a deeper understanding of where it’s come from and where it’s going.

If a sale of the Embassy couldn’t be avoided, the Foreign Office could have tried to preserve the historic assets – the 95-year-old residence, the war memorial and Queen Victoria’s statue. I argued that there was a way to keep those assets and still get a high price (almost the same price) for the rest of the land. But the FCO wasn’t interested. I think it was a poor decision and very damaging to Britain’s soft power in SE Asia.

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Master Glass

MASTER GLASS Many of the world’s leading hotels are among the many high-end customers heading to Thailand to order glass artworks of incredible beauty and quality from Pattaya-based American Stephen Gormley

By Colin Hastings

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EXPATS Who Make A Difference

Focusing mostly on large commissions, especially turnkey projects for major chain hotels, the company begins the process by creating scaled and life-size mock-ups of the agreed design to get a sense of what the final product will look and feel like.

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ucked inside a narrow street at the north end of Pattaya is a ramshackle building whose tin roof and corrugated walls couldn’t be more different from the architectural precision of the gleaming white condos that tower over it.

But that unlovely exterior gives no clue to the magnificent workmanship going on inside. For under its aged beams a team of master craftsmen produce an array of glass artworks and sculptures of such breathtaking beauty and creativity, they are in demand across the globe.

Their spectacular handiwork adorns scores of famous five-star hotels, major buildings, golf clubs, restaurants and corporate offices in no less than 18 countries. Exquisitely fashioned, they come in many different designs, from huge glass archways, elaborate counter fronts and glass columns to multi-hued wall murals, massive glass table pedestals and the company’s so-called ‘curvsture’ signature sculptures infused with gorgeous colours.

The creative genius behind this amazing enterprise is Stephen Gormley, a 70-year-old New Yorker who founded his company ‘Gormley Glass’ in Pattaya almost 40 years ago and whose passion for this work remains undimmed.

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Master Glass

Stephen arrived here with lots of experience having produced custom glasswork in the US and later in Taiwan, realized that this type of business did not exist in Thailand, liked the vibe of Pattaya and set up a workshop in the then quiet district of Wong Amat.

It wasn’t long before Gormley Glass began winning contracts here and overseas, and earning the company a glowing reputation for the quality and artistry of its work. rom idea to finished product is a long process that Gormley Glass has mastered over the years through continual research, visionary designs and pioneering new techniques for creating glass artworks and glass sculpture of sublime quality.

Focusing mostly on large commissions, especially turnkey projects for major chain hotels, the company begins the process by creating scaled and life-size mock-ups of the agreed design to get a sense of what the final product will look and feel like.

The next step involves sheets of high quality glass imported from Germany, US, China and Czechoslovakia which are bonded together using latest technology epoxies in order to achieve the mass and thickness of glass required for most designs.

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Stephen arrived here 40 years ago, realized that this type of business did not exist in Thailand, liked the vibe of Pattaya and set up a workshop in the then quiet district of Wong Amat

Stephen with two of his sons, Christopher and John, after the installation of the glass columns and gate at the J Hotel in Shanghai Tower

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Master Glass

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Master Glass

During that process, a range of decorative effects can be incorporated between the layers of glass. These produce the stunning colors seen in many of Gormley Glass artworks. locks weighing as much as 300 kg are then shaped and carefully polished into the finished products, most taking months to complete. In some cases, polished crystal dichroic glass displaying different colours depending on lighting conditions are bonded onto bigger glass panels.

“Some of our latest glass sculptures we produce by carving, shaping, and bright polishing out of solid cast 225kg blocks of high quality crystal glass,” notes Stephen. “These exquisite crystal blocks are 30 x 30 x 100 cm in size.”

Large scale projects such as the Shanghai Gate in the lobby of the J Hotel in Shanghai were built in sections and then shipped to China. Their on-site installation was overseen by Stephen and his team, including his sons John and Christopher.

Business has grown to the point where that little building in Wong Amat where it started all those decades ago is no longer fit for purpose, and in July

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Blocks weighing as much as 300 kg are then shaped and carefully polished into the finished products, most taking months to complete.

this year Gormley Glass will relocate to new and bigger premises in Khao Mai Keow district, about 15 minutes from Pattaya.

The timing is perfect as the company has just started a major custom glassworks for the New Peninsula Hotel London, working with Hong Kong Shanghai Hotels, owners of the Peninsula, and Peter Marino Architects from New York. The job calls for eight sets of six-meter high main ballroom doors in glass composite panels of mirror polished steel and bonded polished crystal glass bars.

Gormley Glass is also working on the renovation of the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, producing various custom art glass in the public areas.

Apart from a sizable factory, the company’s new facility includes a showroom, offices and residences for Stephen’s own family as well his workers, many of whom have been with the company for more than 25 years.

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Master Glass

New Yorker with California on his mind who ended up in Pattaya: the life of glassmaker Stephen Gormley By any reckoning, Stephen Gormley has had an exceptional life that’s seen him surfing in California in the ‘Summer of Love’, skiing to work in Vermont, setting up an artisan workshop in Hawaii and finally settling in Pattaya some 40 years ago.

His company, Gormley Glass, is an international success story. But he’s worked hard at it, chasing business wherever he’s travelled. Here’s Stephen’s story:

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was born 1952 in Brooklyn, New York, graduated high school 1970 in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York.

From a settled middle class family, with four siblings, I was always industrious, designing and building all sorts of things, from storage racks and dining room extensions for my father’s restaurant to restoring cars, to fitting out several motor homes.

I was very into sports and surfing, and in the summer of 1969 put some surfboards on the roof of my 1966 GMC Van, and with a surfing buddy, headed for Southern California for a wild summer of fun, surfing and camping, from Ensenada, Mexico to Santa Cruz, California. While the Woodstock festival was happening in New York State, the party was on in Southern California, the ‘Summer of Love’.

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After returning to Bay Shore High school in 1970 to graduate, I moved to Monterrey Peninsula College in Carmel, California to study art.

During this time, I found a unique residence on the Big Sur coast in Garrapata canyon, about 30 minutes’ drive to school. This was a fairytale place, with a river winding through giant redwoods, and a community of alternative living folks, mostly craftsman. This greatly influenced me to become a craftsman, and to be selfemployed.

This is when I first started dabbling with stained glass.

The majestic natural beauty of Garrapata canyon greatly affected me, and I hiked deep into the redwood forests, along the rivers and mountain ridges. I developed a very deep appreciation of nature, which would drive my design instincts for the rest of the artistic career.

In 1972 I set up ‘River Glass Studio’ in Londonderry, Vermont, a small town in a bucolic setting, and became serious about making stained glass windows. Working 16-hour days, I was full of passion for design and colored glass. bout this time I found a beautiful and remote residence in an old cottage complex on a 100 acre property, with a 30 acre lake, where I became the caretaker.

The New York City owner became a second father, and he was happy to have me look after the place.

The winter snow, usually from end November, reduced access to the house to only cross country skiing, or walking. This was such a unique adventure, and an eight-year highlight of my life.

Usually finishing work in my stained glass studio at midnight, I would drive my van to the end of the county road, put on the skis and head off into the winter night. The snow created enough brightness, and the trails were so familiar that no headlight was needed.

Mornings were spent in isolation from the world, doing glass designs on the big drawing table while looking out over the snow covered mountains, the lake, and down the valley. I was in my 20s and this was heaven.

Finally the 40 below zero winters got me thinking about palm trees and tropical oceans, and in 1980 I moved to Hawaii and set up a new glass workshop on the Hilo Side of the Big Island. Interestingly, this was in Lailani, between Pahoa and Kalapana, which has now been totally wiped off the map by lava flows.

Through interior designers in Honolulu, I was commissioned to do extensive glass works for the American Hawaii Cruise lines, and the passenger cruise ships USS Constitution and USS Independence which were being refitted in Taiwan.

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The commissions included several large stained glass ceilings and walls in the main dining rooms of both ships. I chose to return to my workshops in Vermont to execute the large works, with better access to materials and friends as helpers.

At the end of 1980, after glass installations in the shipyards of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, I travelled to Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Singapore, knocking on doors and introducing myself to the busiest international designers in the region. It turned out that no one was making glass artwork in any of these places, even though designers and architects had numerous projects needing it.

I decided that Thailand was the friendliest place of all, and I settled outside of Pattaya in April 1981.

Forty one years in Thailand have been an extremely robust and productive time.

I have four children, three boys aged 36, 29, 22, and one girl 13. All the boys are working with me, providing great help and the satisfying feeling of a generational family operation. My 13-year-old daughter, Maya, seems to have the most artistic talent.

She’s a natural illustrator, which is wonderful to see.

We are currently building our new factory, showroom, and residences in an 11 rai compound located in Khao Mai Keow district, next to Rugby International School, and expect to relocate there by July this year.

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The List

Dining

We asked readers of The BigChilli to tell us their favorite Bangkok restaurants.

Beluga

Impressive newcomer serving modern Italian cuisine a la carte and a tasting menu. Located on the first floor of a chic purpose-built venue, with parking below.

726 Soi Suan Phlu, Bangkok. www.belugabangkok.com Tel. 097 229 4353

Rendezvous au Lys

Tucked away in a small ‘moo baan’ in Nang Linchi, Rendezvous au Lys is set in a delightful garden surrounded by trees. Most of the seating is outdoors, but there is handsome bar within. The cuisine is French. Outstanding wine list.

148/11 Nang Linchi 6 Alley, Thung Maha Mek, Sathon, Bangkok 10120 Tel.02 077 5453

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Cagette

Run by suave owner-chef Cedric, Cagette is a relaxed French restaurant with a certain degree of Italian influence in its menu, set over three floors offering a great selection of Parisian starters, reasonably priced mains, oysters, pastas and fresh seafood from France.

Its many large windows and balcony look out onto lots of mature trees.

15 Yen Akat Road, Chong Nonsi, Yan Nawa, Bangkok 10120 Tel. 02 249 1684 contact@cagettebkk.com

El Mercado

One of Bangkok’s great success stories, El Mercado is a bistro-deli famed for its cold cuts, cheese board and Mediterranean daily changing dishes.

490 Soi Phai Singto, Ratchadapisek Road, Bangkok. Tel. 099-078-3444 www.facebook.com/ elmercadobangkok

Le Cabanon

Hugely successful French-Mediterranean restaurant occupying a wooden house in a quiet side street, with a reputation for serving outstanding seafood dishes that are updated daily according to the season. Run by chef/owner Martine Pailloux from France. Expect to see another branch soon.

44 Narathiwas, Soi 15, 10120 Yannawa, Bangkok Tel. 6692 568 0444 lecabanonbangkok@gmail.com TheBigChilli 29

Dining

Ruenton

A Bangkok institution that’s been cleverly updated into a retro modern eatery serving authentic Thai/Chinese street food, including its famous Hainanese chicken rice. Recognized by Michelin as one of the best of its kind.

Montien Hotel, 54 Surawong Road, Bangrak 10500 Tel. 02 233 7060 info@montienbangkok.com

Savelberg

Ms. Jigger

Swish Italian restaurant with floor-to-ceiling back bar complete with library-style rolling ladder and an all-female bar team. Well known Chef Danilo Aiassa creates some great dishes to go with the cocktails and specialty drinks. Located in the Kimpton Maa-Lai Hotel.

78 Soi Ton Son, Lumphini, Bangkok 10330 Tel. 02 056 9999 kimptonmaalaibangkok.com/bangkok-restaurants/msjigger

Mahaseth

Serving a diverse range of menus from Northern and Northeastern (E-san) Thailand.

100 Maha Set Rd, Si Phraya, Bangkok 10500 Tel. 02 235 0023 info@100mahaseth.com 30

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Michelin-starred Owner Henk Savelberg is the chef that other Bangkok chefs admire, which says a lot about his French-influenced cooking. Recently relocated from Wireless Road to a quiet lane off Soi Yen Akat, the new architecture-designed Savelberg is a spectacular all-white affair.

36/1 Yen Akart 2, Chong Nonsi, Yan Nawa, Bangkok.

Tel. 02 252 8001 reservation@savelbergth.com

Benihana

With such a good name behind it, you can’t wrong with Benihana if you’re new (or even a regular) to Japanese cuisine. Known for its steaks and the showmanship of its teppanyaki chefs. Benihana Steakhouse is located in the Avani Atrium Bangkok Hotel.

Avani Atrium: 1880 Phetchaburi Rd, Bangkok 10310 Tel. 080 062 1035 benihanathailand.com

Fireplace Grill

Now in its 57th year (though in various location) Fireplace Grill can certainly claim to be Bangkok’s oldest non-Thai restaurant, serving imported steaks, lamb and a wide seafood choice, as well as a comprehensive wine list. A class act.

InterContinental Bangkok, 973 Phloen Chit Rd, Bangkok 10330 Tel. 02 656 0444 https://bangkok.intercontinental.com/dining/fireplacegrill

Craft

Bangkok’s pet-friendly café and bar specializes in bespoke crafted brews, specialty coffees and an all-day menu, plus cocktails after dark cocktails and music.

Take your dog or cat in the hotel’s beautiful gardens.

Kimpton Maa-Lai Hotel Bangkok, 78 Soi Ton Son, Lumphini, Bangkok 10330 Tel. 02 056 9999 taste.kimptonmaalai@ihg.com

Enoteca

Tucked away in a small side street between Sukhumvit 27 and 31, Enoteca is noted for its authentic Italian cuisine, cosy atmosphere and great wines that live up to the literal meaning of its name – Wine Library.

Sukhumvit 27, Bangkok 10110 Tel. 02 258 4386 enotecabangkok@gmail.com

Indigo

Big favorite with Bangkok expats, Indigo is a charming and relatively inexpensive French-style restaurant with indoor seating and pleasant outdoor area.

6 Convent Rd, Khwaeng Silom, Khet Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500 Tel. 02 235 3268 TheBigChilli 31

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La Dolta Pasta

Chef-partner Francesco Deiana is reckoned to make some of the pastas in town. Luckily, Bangkok has two branches of this simple but popular restaurant.

Thonglor Branch: 161/6 Thonglor 9 Road, North Klongtan, Wattana, Bangkok Tel. +66 (0) 2 392 8688, +66 (0) 86 300 1111 info@ladotta.co Silom Branch: 10/15 Convent Rd, Silom, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500 Tel. +66 (0) 2 236 5558, +66 (0) 61 773 6526 info@ladotta.co

Don Asado

Yen Akart’s new Argentinian restaurant, highlighting premium cuts of beef slowcooked over an open fire pit. Informal interior design promotes a relaxed dining experience. Lots of parking space.

237, Yen Akat 2, Chong Nonsi, Yan Nawa, Bangkok 10120 Tel. 02 005 6627

Mother May I

Set in a rambling old-style house, with large garden and lawn, this lovely restaurant is a wonderful escape from the big city. Sit inside, on the balcony or under the big banyan trees and enjoy traditional Thai cooking as well as freshly baked bread, exotic desserts, fresh fruits and the foods mother used to make.

Sukhumvit 63 (Ekkamai) 10, Lane 2, Phra Khanong Nuea, Bangkok 10110 Tel. 097 990 5990

Yen Akart Bistro

Newly opened Thai-European casual dining venue.

26/1 Yen Akat 1, Thung Maha Mek, Sathon, Bangkok 10120 Tel. 02 671 9214 32

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No Idea

Beloved by expats, No Idea is a thoroughly unpretentious gastropub for drinks, lunch and dinner, with lots of daily blackboard specials. Owned

by Head Chef Khun Duangdern and overseen by the ever-friendly former pilot David from New Zealand.

3-4 Sukhumvit 22, Bangkok 10110 Tel : +66 (02)-6636686

Chesa

Opened 20 years ago and still run by partners Thomas and Rene, Chesa Swiss Restaurant is a Bangkok institution, with a loyal crowd of expats and Thais.

Set in a renovated teak house, with private room and ample parking, the venue has reportedly extended its lease for at least another three years.

Sukhumvit Soi 20, Bangkok 10110 Tel 02 261 6650

Aksorn

Thailand-based Australian chef David Thompson’s latest venture is located on the 5th floor of in Central Group’s first building on Charoenkrung Road. Dating back to the 1950s, it’s been beautifully revamped and serves David’s trademark dishes taken from old cookbooks.

1266 Charoen Krung Rd, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500 Tel. 02 116 8662

Charmgang

Simple neon-lit eatery run by former employees of David Thompson at Nahm, specializing in rarely seen Thai dishes, with special emphasis on hot plates and curries.

Nakhon Kasem Soi 5 Alley, Talat Noi, Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100 Tel.098 882 3251

Via Emilia Restaurant

Recently opened in the house formerly occupied

by Sensi, this Italian restaurant focuses on cuisine from Emilia-Romagna, a region noted for its culinary heritage and foodstuffs. Lots of Italian favorites served in homey ambiance.

Soi 17 Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra, Lane 5, Sathon, Bangkok 10120 Tel. 093 138 8373 TheBigChilli 33

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La Scala

Enjoying a poolside setting, La Scala is renowned for its classic and “progressive” Italian cuisine and European wines.

Sukhothai Hotel, Sathorn Rd, Bangkok 10120 Tel. 02 344 8888 Sukhothai.com

All Cats All Bats

Located in the old part of Bangkok, this charming wine bar/restaurant serves modern Mexican bar food by chef Diego. Upstairs is Ku Bar, a fun cocktail lounge.

469 Phra Sumen Rd, Banglangphu, Bangkok 10200 Tel. 065 448 0655

Scarlett

Set on the 37th floor of the Pullman Bangkok Hotel G, Scarlett Wine Bar & Restaurant has an outside terrace offering great views of Bangkok and the Chao Phya River, as well as a spacious indoor dining area with sit-up snacking bar.

188 Si Lom, Khwaeng Suriya Wong, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500 Tel. 096 860 7990 randblab.com

Phar-Ram IV Bistro

This cosy hideaway is a French deli-bistro by day and a lively wine bar by night. Lots of great dishes from Chef Herve Frerard, one of Bangkok’s best chefs.

Takes its name from the bustling road it sits on.

Montien Hotel, 54 Surawong Road, Bangrak 10500 Tel. 02 233 7060 info@montienbangkok.com 34

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Quince

Quince at Siri House attracts a trendy crowd with its Mediterranean cuisine served in a cosy atmosphere.

Set in a slightly quirky two-storey building on one of central Bangkok’s leafiest road, its open kitchen and main dining room are on the ground floor.

14/2 Soi Somkid, Lumphini, Bangkok 10330 Tel. 094 868 2639 quincebangkok.com

El Willy Spanish Kitchen

New addition to Bangkok’s list of Iberian outlets, this lively and colorful venue is the brainchild of Spanish chef ‘Willy’ Trullàs Moreno who’s built a great reputation with his Shanghai restaurant. Look out for his sharing set menus and the seafood paella.

27/1, Soi Sukhuvit 51, Bangkok 10110 Tel. 087-642-4597 instagram.com/elwillybangkok

Côte by Mauro Colagreco

Overlooking the Chao Phraya River, this smart restaurant has a seafood-strong menu whose cuisine is influenced by three-Michelin-starred chef Mauro Colagreco of the Mirazur in the South of France and executed by Davide Garavaglia. Located in the Capella Bangkok Hotel.

300/2 Charoen Krung Rd, Bangkok 10120 Tel. 02 098 3888 capellahotels.com/en/capella-bangkok/dining

Giglio Trattoria Fiorentina

One of the hottest venues on buzzing Sathorn 12, this restaurant is modest in size but big on Tuscan food.

Run by two Italians with a long history of catering in Bangkok, including Rocket, Peppina, Appia and Cetara.

Sathon Soi 12, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500 Tel. 088 923 0961 https://giglio-trattoria-fiorentina.business.site

Cetara Bangkok

Located in premises previously occupied by the Bunker restaurant, this newcomer to the booming Sathorn 10/12 area of Bangkok specialises in southern Italian seafood. Great pizzas. Popular with the local crowd.

Sathorn Soi 12, Bangkok 10500 Tel. 061 268 8634 TheBigChilli 35

Dining

Brasserie Palmier

This stylish riverfront French brasserie serves classic as well as seafood dishes and great desserts, plus its famous crispy Palmier fries. Located in the five-star Four Seasons Hotel.

300/1 Charoen Krung Rd, Bangkok 10120 Tel. 02 032 0888 fourseasons.com/bangkok/dining/restaurants/ brasserie-palmier

Wanayook

Located in a lovely old house suitably kitted out with antique furnishings near Bangkok’s busy Victory Monument, Wanayook is an all-day venture run by the formidable Chef Chalee Kader. The focus here is on dishes from the various regions of Thailand, including a 10-course tasting menu.

5 Phaya Thai Rd, Thung Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400 Tel. 096 793 3163

Khao Ekkamai

A class act, Khao serves beautifully prepared traditional Thai cuisine in a beautiful dining room inspired by traditional rice barns.

Ekkamai 10 (Sukhumvit 63) Ekkamai 10, Alley, Phra Kanong, Bangkok 10110 Tel. 02 381 2575 Order: foodpanda. co.th

Cadence by Dan Barker

At this Michelin-starred restaurant Chef Dan combines Western and Asian cuisine in a 15-course tasting menu reflecting his personal cuisines and dining experiences.

225 Soi Pridi Banomyong 25, Sukhumvit 71, Bangkok 10110 Tel. 091 713 9034 cadence-danbark.com 36

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Ki Izakaya

Visatesun

Seriously good Thai cuisine served in a beautiful house located in a small lane just off busy Sukhumvit.

Sukhumvit Soi 32, Bangkok 10110 Tel. 063 995 2018

Booming Sathorn 10 & 12 More quality restaurants are opening in the new go-to area known by many as ‘The Square’ just off Sathorn Road.

Already home to a number of great venues, the newcomers include Maison Dunand, a beautiful outlet by Chef Arnaud Dunand, who spent nine years at the helm of Le Normandie at the Mandarin Oriental, and investor-friends.

New Japanese venue with an unusually laid-back attitude – even the waitresses wear jeans and T-shirts – this is a great spot for after-work drinks like highballs, whiskies, sakes and craft beers, as well as menu of small plates and snacks such as yakitori, wagyu beef and blue swimmer crab.

Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel, 80 Soi Ton Son, Lumphini, Bangkok 10330 Tel. 66 2 095 9999 fb.sindhorn@kempinski.com.

Located in a completely restored and redesigned house on Soi 10, Maison Dunand will serve a fixed menu at under 5,000 baht, and is already aiming for a Michelin star, according to Chef Arnaud.

Within the same compound is a second outlet by the same team named Alpea, which is a “more casual, French contemporary bistro,” says Arnaud.

Also on Soi 10 is Oysterman, whose specialty needs no intro.

Over on Soi 12 is a restaurant known quite simply as ‘12’ – not just for its location but also to denote the 12 European cuisines influencing its menu. Owned by the same Kiwi-Thai couple who run Kai restaurant next door, 12 is set in a sumptuously designed house.

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EXPATS Who Make A Difference

The Quiet Botanist from Sweden behind Thailand’s

‘Garden of Eden’

By Colin Hastings

Best known as Pattaya’s premier family tourist attraction, visited by up to 10,000 people a day, Nong Nooch is also regarded as one of the world’s most significant botanical gardens, thanks to Anders Lindstrom, a constant presence in the park

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or more than three decades, a lavishly bearded 50-year-old botanist from Sweden called Anders Lindstrom has quietly beavered away at Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden, helping it to win prestigious awards at the Chelsea Flower Show while also putting Thailand at the forefront of the quest to preserve and protect the world’s plants.

Although far better known as a family entertainment venue on a super-grand scale, Nong Nooch devotes more than half of its 500 acres to nurseries for the cultivation of some 12,000 species, making it one of the largest and most diverse botanical collections in the world.

They include rare and near-extinct species as well as an unrivalled inventory a an almost complete collection of cycads and over 900 species of palms and over 300 varieties of bougainvillea along with virtually every other plant seen in Thailand.

Working in tandem with Nong Nooch’s owner Mr Kampon Tansacha, this deeply committed Swede has been a constant influence on the project’s development and stature over the past 30 years. From numerous visits to many other tropical countries, he has brought back all kinds of tropical plants previously unknown here, and exchanged plants with many of the world’s leading botanical gardens - and all the while stored seeds and pollen and gathered valuable information TheBigChilli 41

Tourism that will help preserve these most precious of resources for future generations.

His accolades are many, including President of the International Heliconia Society for six years. He also organized two World Palm and three International Cycad Conferences at Nong Nooch. Not surprisingly, given the depth and uniqueness of his expertise, Anders is often invited to speak at international conferences and seminars, and frequently asked to do peer reviews of scientific research. There are also a number of plants that have been named after him. hile the plant collections are off limits to visitors, mainly because of their vulnerability, rarity and high value – some plants are so valuable they actually grow inside a cage to deter theft – there’s a completely separate area known as Nong Nooch 2 that has been designed to teach groups of schoolchildren about plant life, from organic vegetable growing to Thai cooking classes and pottery making.

Also within this area are farmer-related activities such as vermiculture with worms, organic fertilizer making, and wood coal making. An eye-catcher are the rows of ‘medicinal’ plants with signs that extoll their

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Together with owner Khun Kampong, Anders has transformed Nong Nooch into a place of immense beauty and scientific importance. It’s a hugely impressive achievement that is sometimes overshadowed by the venue’s tourist attractions

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Anders with the cycad named after him

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Medicinal plants for all kinds of ailments are grown at Nong Nooch 2

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individual virtues, such as anti-cancer, ant-diabetes and even laxatives.

Despite his long service, Anders’ enthusiasm never flags and he continues to work six days a week, mostly as an adviser to the garden’s director, having handed over his previous positions and responsibilities to a local employee in 2012. is loyalty remains undiminished, and praises owner Khun Kampon for being “very receptive to suggestions and improvements. The garden would not be what it is without his relentless enthusiasm over the years,” says Anders.

Together they have transformed Nong Nooch into Thailand’s very own Garden of Eden, a place of immense beauty and scientific importance. It’s a hugely impressive achievement that is sometimes overshadowed by the venue’s tourist attractions.

Born in Stockholm, Sweden in 1971, Anders graduated in press and documentary photography. He

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Wide-eyed in Thailand’s monster garden Plants and flowers, paddle boats and boxing shows, giant pre-historic monsters and hundreds of rare cars – Nong Nooch has it all

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overing some 1,800 rais in the hills of Bangsaray, 20 minutes’ drive south of Pattaya, Nong Nong Tropical Botanical Garden is unquestionably the region’s best known and largest tourist attraction. It may even be the biggest in Thailand.

The scale of the place is breathtaking. Five times the size of Lumpini Park in Bangkok, it offers visitors of all ages more to do and see than is humanly possible in a single day. Hence the hotels and villas located within the resort.

The main park has a Disneyland quality about it, but without the rides and garish décor. Instead, it relies on numerous beautifully maintained gardens, each with a different theme, linked by skywalks, boating lakes, elephant rides, cultural shows and, quite literally, TheBigChilli 47

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moved to Thailand in 1992 on a three-year contract to work for a Swedish company based here, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India, producing tropical ornamental plants for export to Europe.

What first inspired your interest in plant life?

My parents. My mother was a keen nature person and my father was the Director of the Tropical Greenhouse at the Bergius Botanical Garden, Stockholm. He joined Nong Nooch in 1995.

What were your first thoughts about plants/ trees in Thailand?

The lack of interest and knowledge about the local flora was overwhelming. I did contact the Thai Forestry Department for information but very little existed. The Flora of Thailand that was started in 1971 is still not completed.

How did you get a job at Nong Nooch?

I had assembled a considerable collection or cycads (plants with a stout trunk and crown of large evergreen leaves), some of which I imported from my own collection in Sweden.

The owner of Nong Nooch was very interested in cycads and he bought my whole collection and offered me a job as Curator of the Cycads at Nong Nooch. I set up the botanical collection and increased the living plants collection by finding them in the fields myself or purchasing them from all over the world.

I designed the shade houses and buildings to keep the plants and set up a computer database with records on where the plants came from and where they are located in the garden. I was appointed director of the Botanical Plant Collection. I also wrote many scientific papers on cycads and discovered new species of plants. We even have our own cycad gene bank.

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Apart from yourself, how many botanists work at Nong Nooch?

Before 2012, there was a number of qualified staff at the garden. We also had a Palm Curator from Australia and Succulent Curator from New Caledonia as well as a fruit tree horticulturist from the US and a breeding program for date Palms at the garden. Now there are only a few Thai staff with horticulture education.

How many times have you attended the Chelsea Flower Show?

I organized and participated in all six exhibits at the Chelsea Flower show. Nong Nooch was awarded the gold medal all six times and was visited by the Queen of England on three occasions at the show. I also joined the Durban Botanical Garden exhibit once as well. We have also participated in the Flower Parade in Holland three times.

What do you regard as your greatest success while working for Nong Nooch?

To be able to assemble one of, if not the largest collections of living tropical plants and to continue doing research work on them. The knowledge of cycads has been considerably improved due to research done at the garden by myself and others and it will stand as milestone in cycad knowledge.

What else would you like to achieve?

The conservation of plants and natural places is urgently needed. The garden at Nong Nooch is a commercial enterprise and does not have a conservation base to build from. I am aiming to further my knowledge by working with conservation as a consultant or adviser.

What’s next for you?

I hope to be able to broaden my views and contribute a lot more to conservation work and biodiversity research.

hundreds of to-scale dinosaurs. The area is best toured by bike or sightseeing bus.

While youngsters gaze wide-eyed at the prehistoric monsters, their parents – at least the dads – can enjoy an air-conditioned exhibition of more than 100 rare cars, trucks, and modern racing cars, all belonging to Kampon Tansacha, owner of Nong Nooch.

The resort is also a popular venue for meetings and conventions, with a comprehensive choice of indoor and outdoor locations of varying size and facilities.

The NICE exhibition center, for instance, is one of the region’s biggest at a whopping 5,610 sqm, divisible into three smaller halls, and capable of hosting up to 5,000 guests. Other sizable arenas are designed for shows, company parties, weddings and sports days. ut Nong Nooch has an important ecological side to it as well. For the past 30 years it has played a major role in the global effort to study, preserve and protect the world’s plants. More than half the resort is used for vast nurseries that stretch endlessly in serried ranks up into the hills, where more than 12,000 species from around the world are cultivated, earning Nong Nooch the accolade as one of the world’s largest and most diverse botanical gardens.

Unfortunately, this area is off-limits to visitors as it contains some rare and near-extinct species needing close supervision.

However, those fascinated by the wonders of plant life should visit Nong Nooch 2, a special educational facility located on the long road from the resort’s main entrance. This serves as a botanical classroom for groups of visiting schoolchildren and anybody with an interest in the basic elements of plant life.

Nong Nooch has come a long way from its launch way back in 1954 when Khun Pisit and his wife Nongnooch Tansacha purchased a 1,500 rai plot of land with the initial intention of developing it as a fruit plantation. The couple had a change of heart and decided instead to plant tropical flowers and plants as a wildlife conservation project, which opened to the public in 1980. The couple transferred the management to their son Kampon in 2001.

Nong Nooch has been recognized as one of the top ten most beautiful gardens in the world. In pre-Covid days, it welcomed up to 10,000 visitors a day, 90% of whom were from overseas. Nowadays, by far the vast majority of visitors are Thai.

Because of its horticultural expertise, Nong Nooch is often asked to design and plant gardens for outside customers, including hotels like the Montien in Bangkok and seven foreign embassies.

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Address: 34 Na Chom Thian, Sukhumvit Road, Sattahip District, Chon Buri 20250 Tel. 081 919 2153 https://www.nongnoochtropicalgarden.com

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Siam Viking – for the finest imported seafood, meats and home dishes

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ooking like some modern-day Viking, the towering figure of Jan Erik Asbjornsen from Norway is the entrepreneur behind one of Bangkok’s highly rated importers of imported frozen seafood and meat –named, most fittingly, Siam Viking.

A former five-star hotel chef, this enigmatic Norwegian set up Siam Viking in 2016 with the specific objective of bringing better quality of fish into Thailand for hotels, restaurants and home sales.

And that’s not all. Jan Erik also sells premium quality meats and frozen ready meals for reheating at home.

To maintain the highest standards of his seafood, Jan Erik handpicks the best line-caught fish available.

This has been frozen at sea, using the top freezing standards and equipment to ensure they are without bruising, glazing or containing phosphates of any kind.

While Pacific Cod loins and fillets, along with Norwegian Haddock, Atlantic Smoked Salmon and Alaska Sockeye Salmon are the company’s top sellers, Siam Viking also imports an extensive range of other seafood products, all line-caught and meeting the EU standards for healthy and environmentally conscious fishing.

They include Smoked Norwegian products like Mackerel fillets, Haddock fillets, and Whole herring 50

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(kippers), as well as Norway Coldwater Prawns known for their unique salty taste and sweetness.

Plus Gravalax, Sanriku oysters and a range of interesting products such as Codcakes, breaded Cod Burgers and even Salmon Burgers.

Siam Viking imports premium New Zealand Beef, Australian Ribeye, US Brisket and Tenderloins as well as Lamb rack.

Frozen meals include Beef Bourguignon, Chilli con Carne, Lasagne, Cod Curry, and even Fish and Chips.

All the above and more are available at the Siam Viking shop, 2nd Floor, Liberty Plaza, Sukhumvit 55(Thonlor), Basngkok 10110.

Delivery is available anywhere in Thailand, and orders in Bangkok before 4.30pm are delivered the same day.

Contact: admin@siamviking.com, LINE: @siamviking.th.

Tel. 090-9504547, 063-3986677.

The young man from Panama with a song in his heart Agneta Bekassy De Bekas meets multi-talented Bernardo Diaz

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hen he first arrived here in April 2015 as the young son of Panama’s ambassador to Thailand, HE Maria del Carmen Martinez, little did Bernardo Diaz think he would still be here, six years later, working as a musician and member of the Buhonero Clandestino band, visiting professor, promoter of Latin American culture, football fan and cannabis advocate.

“My mum gave me the opportunity to continue my studies in Thailand while she was serving as Panama’s ambassador,” says this talented young man who goes by the nickname of Bernz. “I was only planning to stay for a couple of months.”

Please describe your work experience.

“As a musicians and singer, it has been really amazing.

The audience feedback, if they understand what I’m singing or not, has been delightful. I have also acknowledged that life is a relay race and my role has evolved me into becoming more of an event/ performance producer nowadays, rather than performing myself.

“As a professor, I’m an advocate for education at any cost; education is the only way for all of us to move forward. To get educational material for the less fortunate children, who are studying music in pursuit of a better life, is important to me.

“Concerning cannabis, I think by educating the farmers and population in general, we can avoid the negative side of this plant and focus on the positive.

“Every semester I go to the top universities in Thailand to hold conferences and workshops to promote and teach Spanish and explain Latin American culture. I have also more actively started to teach Spanish online and it has been a nice experience.”

Where have you performed? ”The first concert as Buhonero Clandestino was at River City. Since then we have performed at Flamenco Bangkok, Mahanakhon Sky bar and at the top of EmQuartier, where we did more than 200 shows there. Our second Concert Gallery was at Black Cabin, the third one at Live Lounge.

“We have appeared on TV Channel 3, PPTV and Thai PBS as well as top hotels like the Oriental Mandarin, Park Hyatt, Sukothai Bangkok, Anantara Riverside, Shangri-La and the Okura Prestige. We participated at bazaars and performed at fashion shows, while I have sung for the International Women’s Club Bangkok.”

Bernz was born in Panama, just after the fall of the Noriega dictatorship and government, following the US Invasion in 1990.

Bernz and his elder brother Bernardo, nicknamed Berny, were brought up by caring parents who made sure that the two boys had everything to keep them healthy and happy, and that they also had the freedom to pursuit a professional career.

Says Bernz: “In my childhood we were a close family. But because our location in Panama, we were concerned about our security. Panama was very hostile before it took control over the Panama Canal.

“My brother and grew up between Ciudad de Panama and Volcan, the highlands of Chiriqui, a province located on the other side of the country. I went to school in Ciudad de Panama.

“I can still recall the clean air and the aroma at Volcan, probably the cleanest air I have ever breathed.”

Bernz attended The Oxford International School during his first years, as did his brother. They got their nicknames so their teachers and friends could differentiate them. Although there is a seven-year age gap between the brothers, Bernz was always hung around with his elder brother and his friends.

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People “My school was fun and interesting, there was a very good exposure to classic theatrical plays and I had the chance to perform in many different disciplines from young age - karate, ballet, drama, painting and of course, football.

“By the time I graduated I had been on stage many times and also participated in football tournaments. I knew more or less what my passions were going to be and where I would invest my time.

“I ended up with a bachelor degree in marketing with emphasis on Graphic Design in Panama and my MBA in Sports Operations at Stamford International University, Bangkok. I also had the pleasure of living in Madrid, Spain for a while and got to study and work with the best club in world football - Real Madrid.

“Football is like a religion in Latin America. Even before I was born I started to like football, probably because my mum watched the World Cup on TV,” jokes Bernz.

“I started to play when I was very young and I can still remember my first goal.”

So Bernz, did you follow your dreams?

“Yes, I did indeed. I kept a proper diet, didn’t partying too much and avoided illegal substances. I went to training and practices as I wanted to compete and to reach the national team.

“During my time at home, I read about music and learned how to play guitar through the internet. The day I felt the guitar vibrating next to me, I began to see a new world, a world of calmness and serenity.”

As a young boy, Bernz was both sporting and artistic. “I was social, creative and probably a bit naïve, but also curious, shy, maybe quiet and sober. I did not exactly understand myself, what was going on with me.”

He joined a football club and started to play in a rock band. “I had to find a way to pay for my musical productions. My parents were not so happy about my idea of a musical career. They constantly argued about my music, but they ended up supporting and helping me out. I enjoyed studying as long as the topics were related to painting, acting, videogames, astrophysics, manga, poetry and handcrafts.”

Bernz’s brother Berny also is in the music business, as a sound engineer. His mother has also always enjoyed singing.

“My goal is to further lead a generation to find a way to make music useful and to become productive in their lives.

“Thailand has a very special place in my heart. The Kingdom and its people have welcomed me and my family so warmly. This country has had, and still has, a great impact on me; it has made me the person I am today.

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“I have learned how to speak, read and write Thai and by learning a country’s language, you get access to information normally hidden to an average expat.

To master the language helps a lot in the relationships with friends, business and daily life. Maybe Thailand chose me and not the other way around,” says Bernz with a smile.

“My solo motorbike rides in the northern Thailand and around South East Asia with friends are good memories. In 2016 I displayed my artwork at Bangkok Lyrical Lunacy and then launched my music career at River City Bangkok in 2017.

“I have travelled inside Thailand to promote Latin culture, doing workshops and conferences at the top universities. I have also contributed to bringing Panamanian authorities to Thailand and helped towards the visit of H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and a delegation of Thai officials to Panama. That was amazing.”

What about the future?

“I haven’t achieved everything I have in my mind, but I’m working on it. When I was a teenager, I absolutely wanted a special guitar. I got myself a job and after a while I was able to buy it, a good feeling. In my early 20s I wanted to release an album and reach out to the national media, and I did.

“I wanted to make a name for myself with my music and I think I have done that, or at least I’m on my way.

I would say that everything I have done until now, has been a preparation for what I believe will come.

“I have to mention two friends who have been a lighthouse during dark nights; my friend Dean Kelly who, like me, is Panamanian and was my mentor when I was developing an app for Uni finals. He has also given me feedback on Buhonero Clandestino’s performances. His wife, Natalie Glebova, with her course ‘Win in Love’ allowed me to reach a more mature approach in life, where I learned how to love myself and visualize my objectives on this planet.

“My dream is to work on more Buhonero’s songs and to collaborate with other artists. I want to record and release as much music as possible. I would love to tour with my music and to take part in international music festivals. I have been working on an app over the last three years, and it would be an achievement to release it.

“The cannabis industry has just started and I’m very

happy and excited, but this one is by far, ‘a bet along confidence. That’s hard to beat, and is attractive to me. the way’.

Latino women often react emotionally and they can be “As an entertainer I must say it has been really a bit manipulative. Thai women tend to be calmer and amazing. The audience feedback, if they understand can go into one’s soul, into the consciousness. what I’m singing or not, has been delightful. I have “I also like to be able to travel frequently between also acknowledged that life is a relay race and my Thailand and Panama. role has evolved me into becoming more of an “The list of people who have inspired me is too event/performance producer nowadays, rather than long, but to mention only a few, they are Carl Sagan, performing myself.

Elon Musk, Chopin, Rene Perez, Rodney Clark, “As a professor, I’m an Gustavo Ceratti, Chris Martin, advocate for education at any Francesco Totti and Ruben cost; education is the only way Blades.” for all of us to move forward.

To get educational material Do you have time for any for the less fortunate children, hobbies except music and who are studying music in football? pursuit of a better life, is “I try as often as possible to important to me. do some outdoors activities “Concerning cannabis, such as; swimming, wake surf, I think by educating the body weight working, and I farmers and population in enjoy attending art exhibitions general, we can avoid the and I do write poetry. I love negative side of this plant and travelling to beaches as well focus on the positive. as to mountains in good “Every semester I go to the company. Nice conversations top universities in Thailand also enrich one’s life. to hold conferences and Do you think you will stay Bernz with his mother Maria del Carmen workshops to promote and here for a long or return to and her husband Christian Rehren, the teach Spanish and explain Panama in the future? former Ambassador of Chile to Thailand.

Latin American culture.

“As I mentioned before, I have also more actively I’m planning to travel more started to teach Spanish online and it has been a nice to Panama. I would like to stay in Panama for some experience.” months, working on the farm and return to Thailand to tour the music we record. My future wife, if it happens Why have you become so attached to Thailand? to be a Thai woman, would definitely have to get used “The first thing that comes to my head is the Thai to this lifestyle,” laughs Bernz.

Food. I just love it and can eat it daily. I have had so many experiences here which have shaped my way of Anyone special you really admire? thinking. This country has nurtured my dreams and “Yes, I do admire my mother Maria del Carmen I’m thankful to call it my home.

Martinez, for everything she has achieved with her “My future goals are to release four studio albums strong vision and character. She is truly inspiring me, with Buhonero, record different artists and build a a loving and caring mother and I hope I make her record label. I also wouldn’t mind winning a Grammy. proud of me.”

“I want to keep on working in the football industry If you have the opportunity to spend an evening and also mini football in Thailand. Launching our app with one special person, who would it be and what on the market and seeing it becoming a success is also would you do? a wish.

“I’m not going to mention her name, but I would “Another goal is to send farmers to install cannabis search for the best location, a cozy environment, spend farms in Chiriqui, Panama, and allow them to bring the night looking into each other’s eyes, unveiling our back the Panama Red Strain and install a long term souls through conversations, until we reach the point cooperation program with local authorities and when we can truly trust and respect each other. When educational centers. I wish to promote the legalization that happens, I’m sure I will start singing for her and of cannabis for recreational use. make sure my song will stay in her heart.”

“Last, but not least, I want to find the woman of And that’s how a young, talented, romantic Latino my life and dreams and start a family - a woman with American man plans to woo his future wife!

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Guest review by Bangkok Beefsteak & Burgundy

Belga Rooftop Bar & Brasserie

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fter two years enduring the Covid pandemic, the Club was finally able to return to a new, if modified normality we hope may continue. This was our fourth visit to Belga Rooftop Bar & Brasserie at Sofitel Sukhumvit Hotel, and it was more than just a longawaited treat. Executive Chef Nicolas Basset, Master of Beer and Ceremony Peter Laird, and their entire team provided us a wonderful experience from start to finish.

Several members arrived early, availing themselves of the opportunity to try some of the Belgian beers on offer before the proceedings began with canapés around the bar. Delicious morsels of Beef Tartar on 54

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toast and Tuna with Lemongrass on Endive (Bangkok meets Brussels) were served with an Austrian Grüner Veltliner from Fritz Wieninger (2018) as aperitif. Wine Spokesman Robert Lea, admittedly not a big fan of white wines, still found this a suitable, if not aweinspiring, complement to the food.

Robert was more pleased with our second white wine, a Cantina Terlan Gewurztaminer (2018) from the Südtirol, Alto Adige Region of Northeastern Italy.

He appreciated the slightly spicy richness of this wine, which was paired with Poached Asparagus with Truffle Vinaigrette, Marscapone Cream and Pickled Mushrooms. Our Food Spokesman (and Club Wine Master) Thomas Boedinger said this crisp and fresh

starter was, for him, the best dish of the day.

We next enjoyed a Salmon Mi-Cuit with Tarragon Crust on Braised Lentils and Petits Legumes. It was a beautifully delicate preparation – the fish was perfectly done, with just a hint of the duck fat in which it was cooked sous-vide style and served with a reduced sherry vinegar sauce. It was accompanied by Two Paddocks Fusilier Bannockburn Pinot Noir (2017) from the South Island, New Zealand. Robert expressed surprise that such a red, with its spicy cherry notes, would go so well with the salmon. He also felt it was perhaps a bit “young” but some others thought it actually tasted nearer the end of its life.

Our main course was a generous portion of Boeuf en Daube, a red wine-braised beef brisket served with a trio of pureed winter vegetables. Thomas declared it “real man food”, and this hearty dish was served with a Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon (2016) from the Margaret River wine region of Western Australia.

Robert was initially skeptical about this wine, but found it to be “loaded and dense” and better than he expected.

As we continued with the Cab Sav we were treated to a selection of fine gourmet cheeses brought from America by Mark Guthrie. All were produced by Jasper Hill Farm in the remote northeastern corner of

Vermont, including their Cabot clothbound cheddar, award-winning rich creamy Bayley Hazen Blue, and gooey spruce-bark wrapped Harbison (favorite of the day for most), along with their versions of bloomy-rind Brie-style and mid-elevation European mountain-style cheeses.

Our final wine was a Tenuta Sette Ponti’s Crognolo (2015), a Tuscan red made from Sangiovese grapes.

Robert declared this to be his favorite wine of the day, and it went well with both the cheeses and our dessert course, Chestnut Mont Blanc, a meringue served with chestnuts, kirsch, and vanilla ice cream, garnished with shaved chocolate.

Birthday boy Alex Fisken also contributed two bottles of a nice Tawny Port that members enjoyed either along with or in lieu of a coffee, thus topping off a fine dining experience. For his efforts, Alex was asked to present our thanks to Peter, Nicolas, and their superb staff who did so much to make our day special.

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News

My Life in Thailand Dr Donna Robinson is a British doctor well-known among expats and locals in Bangkok

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y the time I was 30 years old, I had worked for a few years as a doctor in the hospital. Leading up to that time, I had moved to New Zealand in 1986 and met the man who is now my husband in Hong Kong in 1987. I moved back to London to complete training as a general practitioner and completed the exams in 1989.

In early February 1990, I left London for the long trip to Bangkok, after spending a few days in Delhi with my friend Clare and her aunt. It was usual for a flight to stop in at least one country before reaching Thailand, so I chose India. Soon I said goodbye to Clare and went to the airport. I had a purple suit on, so the other passengers thought I was with Thai Airways.

After waiting for two hours, we were told the flight arriving had a problem, and we would not leave Delhi 56

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that night. Ground staff gave us hotel vouchers for two per room and told us to match with other passengers.

As it turned out, I shared the room with a young male Indian Fijian. Probably nowadays you wouldn't be allowed to share rooms like that, or you would have insisted on one room per person!

I was moving to Thailand to be with Ian, who was working as a roads engineer, back when they built all the expressways here. I was so happy to see him when I arrived. We stayed at the Rich Inn on Sukhumvit 53.

Back then, there was a shortage of accommodations for foreigners looking for apartments and houses in the Sukhumvit area. I remember the walls moving with the thunder of traffic that went on all night.

I signed on for some classes at the AUA (a Thai language school where you learn by listening to people speak), and Ian had bought me some learn-

about-Thai-culture books. I visited one or two NGOs, and I stayed busy at the weekends exploring the city.

One week I even visited Kanchanaburi.

During that first year I think I became quite down.

One Monday morning, it hit me, "What was I doing here in Bangkok"? I guessed the honeymoon was over, and it hit me that everything was so different here. I got really overwhelmed, looking at what I had done, coming to this strange place. Surprisingly, though I thought maybe Hong Kong or Singapore would be easier places to practise as a doctor, I never once thought of leaving and going back to the UK. joined traditional groups like the British Women's group and the Bangkok Women's Network. Still, Ian was largely my lifeline, friend, partner, and support system. A medical friend Yvonne told me to write to Sunny, a Thai doctor who was in London at the time, who was around my age, and tell her I was moving to Bangkok.

I remember Sunny immediately wrote back from her hotel in Tottenham Court Road. She later started a group called The Network, and it was and still is a good support group. Sunny was super efficient at giving me advice, as she still is to this day.

I had written to several health NGOs before I left.

My colleague Ann gave me information on which organisations to write to, like the Thai Planned Parenthood Association. I did get one reply back from Dr Jumroon Mikanarom with the ASIN (a public health organisation). He said they would hire me, although they weren't sure how to manage this since they had never had a foreigner before. ASIN was in deepest Talingchan (an outlying district of western Bangkok), actually on the main road close to the local police station I turned up at their headquarters, taking ages to

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get there on two bus journeys. Dr Jumroon offered to send a minibus to come and collect me at one point.

They wanted me to write reports, but I couldn't do it. As a doctor, I dictated my notes into a machine for someone else to type up. I didn't even know how to make the goals and objectives, but they soon taught me how to do it. My first meeting was with some leading health experts on World Population Day. Does it even exist anymore?

I remember how I wrote to the invitees, and Khun Noo typed the letters for Dr Vitoon Sangsingkeo at ASIN and the Ministry of Public Health to sign. He sent all the letters back saying they needed to be rewritten since there were mistakes. I learned a lot from these guys, looking back now.

Things did get easier. I got a work permit, but I remember that you needed a stamp from two places when you left Thailand. We were going on holiday to Nepal. After queuing all morning at one place near Democracy Monument, I remember leaving without the stamp. I knew well there was a limit to what I could do, but not getting this stamp would cause problems, and it did. When I came back, Dr Jumroon was annoyed, saying how could I lose my work permit since I didn't get the stamp before leaving, and he would have to apply for me all over again. y this time, we had gotten a car. Still, it was only in January 1991, after a holiday, that I came back with a New Year's resolution to drive, and then I drove everywhere. Ian taught me to drive in Bangkok using the side mirrors to watch out for motorbikes along the car side.

Gradually, things settled down, I got licensed as a doctor in Thailand, and after a few years, I came to love Bangkok and feel at home with all the chaos and colour.

Today, I am happily - well, stressfully - running my business, MedConsult Clinic.

Ian and I live here in our apartment in Sukhumvit, and we had 2 children who were born and went to school here.

They have left for the UK and other places, they visit when they can, but my husband is still here with me.

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Education

The Thai-Italian Chamber of Commerce hosted an Education Forum 2022 ‘From Yesterday to Tomorrow: Reinventing Education in Thailand’ at the Montien Hotel. Attendees included Mr Trinuch Thienthong, Minister of Education, as well as King's College International School, Shrewsbury International School, Bangkok Patana, Bangkok Prep and KIS International School.

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Book Review

The King and the Consul: A British Tragedy in Old Siam,

by Simon Landy River Books, 248 pages, order @www.riverbooksbk.com Review by Leonard H. Le Blanc III

A former U.S. ambassador once called Thailand a “crossroads.” This is where people, goods, ideas, and cultures can be freely exchanged to everyone’s mutual benefit. Initially, for over two centuries it was.

Only with the Siamese Revolution of 1688 did western international relations come to a crashing halt for over 130 years. With the Bowring Treaty signing in 1855 did Thailand become an international crossroads once again.

Simon Landy has done everyone a noble service by turning his sharply-tuned literary microscope on this seminal, groundbreaking event. His impressive book finely details all the protagonists and antagonists in the tableau. Many knew with the treaty signing that Thailand would never be the same again. Some of the old ways of doing business would forever end. There were equal parts hope and fear.

Mr. Landy professionally delves into this important historic event with insight, intelligence and solid research. I trust the Thai government will honour him and publisher for this distinguished literary work. Well done.

Back in 2007-08, I worked on a Counter-Narcotics Project in Afghanistan, handling applications for grant money to grow any crop other than opium poppy. The most popular request was growing saffron. Although saffron is a very high-value crop, it is very difficult to cultivate. All elements - soil, water, drainage, sunlight, fertilizer and shade have to come into perfect alignment to successfully reap the plant.

James Wise in his book shows that democracy in Thailand is exactly the same, All the elements to have a successful democracy have to come into alignment for it to be successful. However, he expertly explains how each element - courts, the military, political parties, the monarchy, voting, a rigidly hierarchical society et cetera - have a long way to go before real democracy blossoms to the benefit of all.

A former Australian Ambassador to Thailand, Mr. Wise shares his long-developed expertise to give us an expert take on Thailand’s fledgling democracy and all the major components. It is a highly recommended read.

Thailand: History, Politics and the Rule of Law

By James Wise Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2019, 296 pages, www. marshallcavendish.com/genref Review by Leonard H. Le Blanc III

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History

Yesteryear – Bangkok in 1956: Part Three

‘What Life Was Like When AmCham Thailand Was Born’ David Lyman

The following is the third and final part of a presentation

by David Lyman, Chairman and Chief Values Officer, Tilleke & Gibbins International Ltd at the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand’s Membership Monthly Luncheon, April 26, 2006 The Oriental Bangkok

Bangkok's Infrastructure Don’t forget that this is the Land of Mai Pen Rai, a concept, we used to say, which is similar to the Spanish Manana, but without conveying the same sense of urgency.

We put up with certain difficulties which were more inconveniences than deprivations. Potable water pumping stations and electricity-generating plants were bombed by the Allies during the war. Thus, running water from the tap for more than a couple of hours a day was a luxury. All drinking water had to be boiled.

Since the water pressure was always low, water pumps were necessary to get water to the second floor of your house and above. So, when the water flowed, you filled up bathtubs, ongs, water tanks, buckets and whatever containers were available, not knowing when the water would flow again.

Electricity supply was inconsistent with frequent brown-outs and blackouts rotating through various parts of the city. Every house and office had ‘stepup’ transformers to boost the voltage of whatever inconsistent electricity trickled in. Sometimes it would go off at untimely moments.

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Phya Thai Road looking north to the Victory Monument: 1945 and 1984

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History In the summer of 1955, I was incapacitated by appendicitis and was taken to the Bangkok Adventist Hospital for an operation. Just as I was being wheeled to the operating theater, the lights went out. So, instead of using an elevator, I swung myself off the gurney, walked down two flights of stairs, marched into the operating room and literally climbed up onto the operating table. An emergency generator in the hospital supplied lighting for the surgeons to do their bit. However, the anesthetist couldn’t see too well for the spinal he was giving me and I ended up with 25+ years of periodically debilitating headaches. he telephone system was archaic even for that era. Old black Bakelite rotary phones, heavy as could be, little was automated. Phone lines, with only fivedigit numbers, took many months to get and often were out of service. One of the reasons for the appalling situation was no competition for the government monopoly, TOT. About 28,000 subscribers and for every 10 phone lines there were 11-12 paying customers, and they were not party lines.

This meant that someone’s phone was always out of order, unless you paid the repairman a stipend to keep you on line.

To make an overseas call, that could only be done from booths at the General Post Office on New Road or the then new Erawan Hotel (which opened in 1956).

Both required advance booking of several hours to several days. Teletype was still very new and not really available commercially. Fax machines were about 20 years off in the future.

So businesses used cable addresses for international radio-telegrams inbound from overseas and outbound. Ours was LYMAN, BANGKOK. Since charges for outgoing messages were by the letter or word, messages were short and cryptic, sometimes using commercial codes which provided combinations of a few letters to equal whole phrases or template sentences. Foreign airmail took 4-12 days to get to addresses in Europe and the US; sea mail (surface mail) took 1-3 months. Domestic mail and telegraph were quite efficient.

Public health was always an issue. The US sponsored a major malaria eradication campaign throughout the nation which was a significant, though not a total, success. Our homes became screened, when we could find screening, to keep out mosquitoes,

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A Bangkok phone flies, wasps, bees and other airborne creatures. And in absence thereof, we slept under mosquito nets.

A bottle of ‘Sketolene’, made by the British

The telephone system was archaic even for that era.

Phone lines, with only five-digit numbers, took many months to get and often were out of service.

One of the reasons for the appalling situation was no competition for the government monopoly.

I was being wheeled to the hospital’s operating theater, the lights went out. So, instead of using an elevator, I swung myself off the gurney, walked down two flights of stairs, marched into the operating room and literally climbed up onto the operating table.

Sketolene Dispensary, was a life saver – you splashed it all over yourself to keep the mosquitoes at bay, for about six hours. A side effect was that it took the varnish off of any furniture it touched. We all sported sore arms having had our annual or semiannual injections against cholera, scrub typhus, typhoid and paratyphoid, tetanus, Japanese B and every three years against smallpox. uch inoculations were available at the Snake Farm of the Thai Red Cross on Rama IV Road and at the Immigration Division of the Police Department. Every newcomer suffered from ‘Bangkok Belly’ within one or two weeks of their arrival. Some foul-tasting Chinese medicine cleared it right up giving your plumbing time to adjust to the tropical enzymes being ingested. Hospitals for foreigners were the Bangkok Nursing Home, Bangkok Adventist Hospital and Bangkok Christian Hospital, plus Siriraj and Chulalongkorn.

In Chiang Mai, there was the McCormick Hospital.

Oh yes, Thailand is home to many very poisonous snakes.

Cobras, kraits and vipers, of

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varying degrees of lethality, were often found in gardens, along with pythons, so one had to be careful where you walked and you always carried a flashlight walking anywhere at night. Fortunately, antivenom was readily available at hospitals and clinics, if you could identify the snake which bit you. Surrrrrrrrre!

Cobra

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History The Bangkok Post and the Bangkok World were the English language newspapers of the day. Both were good papers with wide international as well as local coverage. At one time, my mother was the Society Editor of the Bangkok World. To get around the censors, The Post had a column called ‘The Postman Says’ and the Bangkok World had another column which were both political satire. The Bangkok World's was composed and reported by the office chinchook (gecko) (whose name escapes me) – the Thai equivalent of the fly on the wall.

I recall two reports, which could have been written just as well today – one was that a Thai MP had suggested that the Democracy Monument on Rajadamnern Avenue should be demolished as monuments were only erected for or to dead things.

The chinchook commented – “Ask a stupid question and you get a stupid answer.” he other report from the office chinchook had to do with the corruption in the government-owned Pork Monopoly which was headed by an honest man who resigned in disgust. “It wasn’t the long hours and the hard work,” he said, “which prompted my resignation – it was just the smell of the pigs.” Thailand’s one TV station, the first in Asia, opened in 1955. It broadcast only a few hours a day, but it was a start to the distractions of electronics.

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Conclusion So that’s the way I remember how life was in Bangkok in and around 1956. Others will tell the AmCham story and the tales of its founders and those who followed them. There is far more of this story to relate of the parallel developments of both the Kingdom of Thailand and AmCham Thailand. But that is for another time.

Each of Thailand and AmCham grew at accelerated paces never stopping to this day. A few hiccups were encountered along the way, but none ever upset or diverted the special relationship of friendship and spirit of cooperation between the U.S. and Thailand which we knew and from which we have all mutually benefited. Thank goodness.

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Media

Rajadamnern Road: 1945 and 1984

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History

Rama IV Road: 1945 and 1984

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